RVPBA and other PBAs will be the testing grounds for how successful changes to state policy will support prescribed burning on private lands (for example, the implementation of the CBM program and changes to liability standards).
“Humboldt County Prescribed Burn Association,” with Lenya Quinn-Davidson and Jeffery Stakehouse, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources Cooperative Extension
VIDEO
AGREEMENTS, AUTHORITIES, AND MOUs
Agreements, authorities, and MOUs open doors to shared stewardship not only in Oregon, but across the U.S. On April 15, 2021, the Wyden Amendment Authority was used to conduct a prescribed fire starting on the Fremont-Winema National Forest (NF) (federal land) and moved onto private land. Here is a recap of the day from Extension State Fire Specialist Daniel Leavell on the scene (email provided with permission from Daniel): Wanted to inform about an innovative use of the Wyden Amendment Authority by the Fremont-Winema NF. As you know, “Under the authority of the Wyden Amendment, managers of Federal lands may spend funds to conduct treatments on adjacent non-Federal lands to treat private lands where treatments are designed to improve the viability of, and otherwise benefit, fish, wildlife, and other biotic resources.
Photo credit: Amy Markus, USFS
Cross-boundary burning, using the Wyden Amendment Authority.
Yesterday, while participating in a workshop and prescribed burn on public and private land, the USFS person in charge said he had researched this and received permission to apply it to the burn. With an agreement in hand between the private landowner and the Forest, he was able to initiate the burn on a quarter acre of public land cleared for burning and continue on to 40 acres of private land that was prepared for burning with harvests and slash treatments implemented in the last several years. Here’s the good part: Because the private land prescribed burn enhanced the benefit to public land, he was able to have the FS assume the cost (about $100 per acre) and the liability for the entire burn. He was also able to utilize USFS personnel and equipment to light, hold, and back up — and patrol after any mop-up at no cost to the landowner. The operation yesterday went very smoothly. The landowners who were there to observe and take part in the workshop were very impressed. Technically, that Authority could have been used for 1,000s of acres or more of private land burning. The Forest could also have contracted with a private outfit to do the burning —
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